This present disclosure relates to a bearing arrangement. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a bearing arrangement for a bearing wheel in a turret, such as a bearing arrangement that may be disposed between the wheel and a wheel shaft around which the wheel is rotatably connectable, wherein said bearing arrangement comprises a slide bearing enabling the wheel to slide axially on the shaft.
WO 2011/115505 discloses a device for a rotating turntable comprising a turret and a turntable bearing for a drilling or production vessel for recovery of oil offshore, the turret being rotatable in a through-going opening or a well in the hull of the vessel. The turntable bearing there disclosed includes a number of axial and radial wheels arranged in polar arrays around a centre line of the turret, the axial and radial wheels being connected to wheel shafts and adapted to roll on respective edges of a circular rail. The circular rail is a part of a support structure for the turntable/turret bearing on the vessel. The axial wheels are connected to their respective wheel shafts via slide bearings, the arrangement enabling the wheels to slide axially over slidable surfaces/liners on the wheel shafts.
WO 2011/115505 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Tests have shown that if the turntable bearing disclosed in WO 2011/115505 is subjected to significant loads, such as in deep waters where the turret mooring assemblies become very heavy, the wheels of the turntable bearing are subject to excessive loads restraining their rotation around the wheels shafts. Highly restrained rotation may lead to excessive loads on the turret bearing system and further to insufficient weathervaning of the vessel in which the turret is placed causing reduced operating performance of the vessel and additional strain in both the turret structure and in the mooring and riser systems. The vessel will typically be a loading buoy or a ship as used in the production of hydrocarbons.